The balance of power in the Maine Legislature shifted only slightly Tuesday as voters returned a Republican majority to the Maine Senate and likewise sent a slimmer majority of Democrats back to the state’s House of Representatives.

Democrats gained one seat in the upper chamber, but they lost experienced lawmakers as well, as Republican challengers were successful in taking seats two seats from Democratic incumbents in Senate districts 13 and 18. The final tally gives Republicans 18 seats to 17 won by Democrats.

It also appeared that Sen. Mike Thibodeau, R-Winterport, the current state Senate President, would be returning as he defeated Democratic challenger Jonathan Fulford of Monroe, in a rematch.

In the House, Democrats appeared to have won 74 seats to the Republicans’ 73, with results of two races still pending Wednesday morning. Voters also sent two Libertarians to the House. Several races were also close enough that recounts could be expected.

Key victories for Republicans included Senate District 16 in Kennebec County, where challenger state Rep. Henry Beck, a Waterville Democrat who was termed out of the House, was unable to best incumbent Sen. Scott Cyrway, R -Benton. Despite an onslaught of $300,000 in independent spending on Beck’s behalf, Cyrway won with 10,360 votes to 8,789.

Cyrway late Tuesday said he was grateful for the win and aghast at the amount of negative spending that took place during the race. “I just did not believe how much money had been thrown into this race,” Cyrway said. “I hope this shows that negative campaigning does not pay off.”

In northern Maine, Democrats picked up two Senate seats held previously by Republicans, with former state Sen. Troy Jackson, D-Allagash, winning the District 1 seat he previously held by defeating Republican Timothy Guerrette of Caribou.

Jackson, a former state Senate assistant majority leader, gained statewide prominence in his failed bid to be the Democratic candidate for Maine’s 2nd Congressional District in 2014. And the state Senate seat was left open after being vacated by retiring Sen. Peter Edgecomb, a Republican.

In Senate District 2, also in northern Maine, Democrat Michael Carpenter, a former Maine attorney general from Houlton, appeared to defeat Rep. Ricky Long, R-Sherman. Carpenter also ran for the seat in 2014 and narrowly lost to Michael Willette, a Presque Isle Republican, who decided not to seek re-election this year.

In Senate District 3 incumbent state Sen. Rod Whittemore, a Skowhegan Republican, appeared to be fending off Rep. Jeff McCabe, a Democrat also from Skowhegan. McCabe, the outgoing House majority leader, has been at the forefront of dozens of Democratic conflicts with Republican Gov. Paul LePage. But on Tuesday Whittemore prevailed, winning 53 percent of the vote with one precinct outstanding.

In Senate District 18, incumbent Democrat John Patrick of Rumford lost to challenger Lisa Keim. Kiem had 56 percent of the vote with only one precinct outstanding late Wednesday morning.

Both parties also won a seat in unopposed races, with incumbents Nate Libby, a Lewiston Democrat, and Kim Rosen, a Bucksport Republican, set to return. With such an even divide in both chambers, the races for leadership positions will likely be close. Republicans in the House could upend Democrats with help from Libertarians to gain the Speaker’s gavel. In the Senate, Democrats could align themselves with moderate Republicans to install a president more favorable to their side.

State Rep. Ken Fredette, R-Newport, the current House Minority Leader, has called a 2 p.m. press conference at the State House to discuss Tuesday’s results. Senate Republicans will likely make their leadership decisions Thursday, said spokesman Jim Cyr.

While Republicans lost two seats in the Senate, their gains in the House had Maine Republican Party Chairman Rick Bennett claiming victory, especially with the vote in Maine’s more rural and northern 2nd Congressional District going to Republican President-elect Donald Trump. That gave Trump one of Maine’s four Electoral College votes, marking the first split in the state’s Electoral College in modern history.

“The outcome has been overwhelming, and our success is not only unprecedented, but historic,” Bennett said in a prepared statement. ” I am proud to be part of history today. Our victories will change our political landscape for years to come.”

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mathis.teresa

It’s been 1 yr since I abandoned my previous job and it changed my life… I started to work on-line, for this company I stumbled upon on-line, few hours each day, and I make much more than i did on my last job… My check for last month was for 9000 bucks… Awesome thing about this work is the more time i got for my family… KORTA.NU/MDe

Factshonesty

Maine continues to shift towards becoming a red state and the Republicans show stamina and backbone while Democrats (especially past leaders like Balducci and Mitchell) are both weak minded and still believe in the delusion of bi-partisanship.

Republicans win because they don’t believe in or work towards bi-partisanship. Their base steps up and votes as a result of that back bone. Democrats – they are fools by comparison.

Johnny Dough

We need everyone to get up tomorrow morning and work! This is “Tax Reform” We need everyone to get up tomorrow morning and work! This is drug reform! Weeed everyone to get up tomorrow morning and work! This is welfare reform. EVERYONE GO TO WORK! PAY TAXES!

Congratulations to Lisa Keim – I was impressed by the hard work she went through to win in this election.

Tony Garea

First thing you guys need to do:

Create a state tax credit equal to the amount that anyone has to pay under the Question 2 initiative that passed last night. In other words, if I am fortunate enough to make enough money so that I owe $10,000 due to this 3% surcharge, then I should get a dollar-for-dollar credit on my Maine tax return.

That is how the legislature can recapture the ability to tax, which it alone is tasked to do. This tax-by-voter-initiative is no way to run a state. Except to run it into the ground.

Margaret McBreairty

Well, there you have: the established politician is right. We are like sheep to the slaughter. We will vote everyone back in regardless of their refusal to do the right thing. Nothing changes and we have only ourselves to blame.

midcoastg8tor

Wonder if LePage ships Jackson a victory gift? Any guesses what it would be? Hint…brand name begins with a V.

Johnny Dough

Rod Wittermore for Governor! He strikes logical balance between two “Jugheads” also he hears people,… that is something his opponent didn’t do as he was toooo focused on the “Big Jughead”

Richard Winger

Two independents, not two Libertarians, were elected to the House. They are Kent Ackley in the 82nd district and Owen Casas in the 94th district.